


Sweet on You

by FrenchKey



Series: Stony Fairy Tale Bingo 2018 [4]
Category: Cinderella (Fairy Tale), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Fairy Tale Retellings, Gender Dysphoria, Genderfluid Character, Happy Ending, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, M/M, Nonbinary Character, Trans Character, gender feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-28
Updated: 2018-03-28
Packaged: 2019-04-13 21:20:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,409
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14121066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrenchKey/pseuds/FrenchKey
Summary: Tony just wants to go to the ball in a dress. Why is that so hard to understand?





	Sweet on You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [JayofOlympus](https://archiveofourown.org/users/JayofOlympus/gifts).



> This is my fill for Square N5 - Cinderella of my bingo card. I wanted to do something a little bit different with this one so I hope you enjoy!

‘Absolutely not, Anthony. Do you want to shame the family?’ Howard thundered.

Tony stood in front of him, head bowed and eyes watering, holding the dress he’d hoped to wear to the ball. He’d known his father would disapprove and yet he’d still told the truth when we was asked what he planned to wear. If he’d just turned up in it, there would have been nothing Howard could have done. Howard reached out and tore the dress from his hands, causing Tony to flinch.

‘Go to your room and choose something worthy of a prince. I will not have you causing any further scandals for us, Anthony.’

Tony crossed his father’s study and opened the door.

‘And, Anthony?’ Howard called after him. ‘Remember, it’s not too late to declare Tiberius as my heir.’

Tony nodded and left, closing the door quietly behind him. As soon as he was a few corridors away, his tears began to flow unchecked as he lost the battle to keep them contained. He yelped as a sudden weight landed on his shoulders, sending him stumbling forward.

‘Ignore him, darling,’ Pepper said, draping herself around his neck like a fur stole.

‘He’s full of hot-air,’ Rhodey agreed, bounding up beside them. ‘Everyone knows that Tiberius would run the country into the ground in months. He’s got no choice but to declare you heir.’

Tony laughed and wiped his eyes.

‘Thanks, guys,’ he said.

‘Always,’ Pepper replied fondly. ‘Now, what are you going to do about clothes for the ball?’

***

Prince Anthony Edward Stark III of York, known to his friends as Tony, lived with his parents in a luxurious palace. King Howard and Queen Maria should have brought him up in luxury. He should have wanted for nothing and grown into yet another spoiled brat of a king. For the first four years of his life, that was exactly what happened. Then, one day, his father had found him in his mother’s boudoir, trying on her shoes and playing with her make-up. Enraged, he demanded to know what his son thought he was doing. Tony’s answer changed everything.

‘I’m a girl today, Daddy,’ little Tony had said. ‘I wanted to look pretty, like Mummy does.’

Howard flew into a towering temper and dismissed Tony from his sight. From that moment on, any hint of pampering ceased. Tony was put to work in the stables, shovelling muck, and in the palace itself, lifting any heavy load. Howard gave the servants strict instructions to provide his son with ‘real man’s work’ in an effort to toughen him up. At the same time, he began withholding the affection the he had been so free with before. 

One day, Tony was sitting on the kitchen stairs, crying, when he heard something strange. It was a yowling, howling sort of noise and it suggested pain. Tony, being a kind child, leapt to his feet to investigate. He found a small marmalade cat being set upon by a group of crows. Tony ran forward, yelling and waving his arms, which scattered the crows. He picked the cat up and examined it. She was bleeding sluggishly from several wounds and calmed as soon as Tony had her securely in his arms. He took her inside and cared for her as best he could.

‘You’re a pretty little thing,’ he said to her as he worked, ‘Do you have a name, I wonder? Or a human out there somewhere?’

‘My name is Pepper and you’re my human,’ she replied.

Tony was so startled that he nearly dropped her.

Once he had Pepper, things got better for Tony. She was on his side and willing to provide a word of encouragement or a cuff around the ear as necessary. She helped him to complete his chores and was beloved among the kitchen staff for her mousing abilities. She was also willing to sneak into the female courtiers’ rooms and abscond with nearly empty pots of makeup or discarded strings of beads. With her help, Tony flourished and was able to explore both sides of his gender. 

Rhodey joined them when Tony was eight. He was a dark-coated wolfhound intended for the guard. When the young prince befriended him, none of the trainers could bear to separate them and he was trained to care for and protect Tony. It was a task made much easier by the fact that they could speak to each other. Pepper and Rhodey became fast friends and Tony frequently accused them of ganging up on him. Between them, they kept Tony safe and as happy as he could be.

Unfortunately, Howard and Maria never returned to their previous ease with Tony, a fact he was all too aware of. The older he grew, the more he rebelled against the restrictions placed upon him. Things only became worse when he was caught, aged fifteen, kissing a stable boy in the pantry. Howard threatened him with disinheritance and invited his brother, Tony’s Uncle Obadiah, to move into the castle. He brought with his is sons, Tiberius and Justin. The received the best of everything while Tony was treated as a servant.

Apart from Pepper and Rhodey, the only bright spot in Tony’s life was the time he spent with Steve, the baker’s son. Steve began work at the castle when he was twelve and Tony was fourteen. They became fast friends when Tony rescued a basket of sweet rolls Steve had baked and was struggling to carry. Of course, he promptly stole one for himself as payment for services rendered. They’d been best friends ever since. Tony had only ever kept two secrets from Steve. The first was his fluid relationship with his gender. The second was his growing feeling of more-than-friendship for his best friend. His parents had forbidden his to ever disclose the first and he had no desire to see their disgust on Steve’s face anyway. This, of course, meant there was no point mentioning the second. Tony would have been happy sticking to this status quo forever, except his parents had announced a the ball. His twenty-first birthday ball was to double as an opportunity to marry him off. By the end of the night, his parents would have chosen his future wife. 

***

‘Can I not just run away, Pep?’ Tony asked plaintively.

‘No, you cannot,’ she retorted, batting him on the back of the head with a paw.

Tony pouted. ‘I just wish I could go to the ball feeling like me,’ he sighed.

‘Did I hear someone calling for a wish?!’ a voice boomed.

Tony yelped and whirled round. Rhodey was planted in front of his, growling. Perched on the dog’s back, Pepper had puffed up and had her claws out. Both were clearly prepared to leap to his defence should it prove necessary. In front of them stood a man in loose grey trousers and a purple shirt. His arm was bandaged and there was a bow slung across his back. He was holding his hands in the air. One of them was clenched around a shimmery stick. Tony raised his eyebrows.

‘Who the hell are you and how did you get in here?’ Tony asked.

‘I’m Clint, your fairy godfather!’ the man said.

‘Right. And I’m the High Wizard of Babylon. Who are you actually?’ Tony said.

The man waved his stick and suddenly Tony found himself floating near the ceiling. He squeaked.

‘Told ya. I’m your fairy godfather,’ Clint said.

‘I believe you! I believe you! Now put me down!’ Tony demanded.

He floated gently back to the ground. As soon as his feet touched down, he dropped to his knees. Pepper trotted over and licked his nose. 

‘He’s definitely fae,’ she said. ‘As to being your godfather?’ she flicked her ears. ‘I don’t see why he’d lie.’ 

Tony scritched behind Pepper’s ears and nodded. He looked up at Clint.

‘Say I believe you, for now. Why haven’t you ever appeared before?’ he asked

‘I didn’t need to appear to grant the other wishes,’ Clint replied.

‘Other wishes? What other wishes?’

‘Did you think everyone was friends with a remarkably long-lived talking cat and dog?’ Clint asked, rolling his eyes.

Tony sat back on his heels. He looked at Pepper and then at Rhodey. He’d never really questioned their presence in his life. He’d just accepted that they were there and they always would be. Now that he thought about it, Pepper was at least seventeen and still capable of running about like a kitten. Rhodey wasn’t much younger and was also in the prime of his life.

‘You never thought about it, did you?’ Clint asked. ‘Well, that was me. You wished for friends. I can’t do much with humans unless they give me permission and there was no one in the castle your age anyway, so I sent you those two.’

‘Why are you here now then?’ Tony asked.

‘You wished to go to the ball as yourself, by which I assume you mean looking more feminine, and I can’t make any major changes to your life without your permission.’ Clint replied.

‘What changes were you going to make?’ Tony asked.

‘I can change your body so that it looks the way you imagine, but it won’t be permanent. Even with permission I have limits. I can also magic you up an outfit, which will last.’

‘How long will the change last?’

‘Until the midnight after I cast the spell. Anything that involves transformation like that is undone at the stroke of twelve.’

Tony thought about it, absently stroking his hand down Pepper’s back. Until midnight would still let him experience most of the ball. Even if he had to leave early, he’d still have a chance to dance and mingle looking like himself in a way he’d never managed before. He nodded.

‘Let’s do this,’ he said.

‘Hang on,’ Rhodey said. ‘Won’t people notice that Tony’s not there? The ball’s being held for him after all.’

Clint nodded and frowned. Tony’s heart sank. He’d been so sure that this was going to work. Clint’s arrival had been beyond his wildest dreams. It obviously was too good to be true. Clint’s cry of triumph broke him out of his thoughts.

‘Do you have someone you trust?’ Clint asked Tony.

‘Apart from Pepper and Rhodey? Some of the kitchen staff and pages are nice to me,’ he replied.

‘Someone small would be better. They’re easier to lay illusions on because they believe in magic more easily.’

‘Not one of the kitchen staff,’ Pepper said. ‘They’ll all be needed tonight.’

‘What about that tiny page?’ Rhodey asked. ‘The one that talks really fast and always stops to pet me.’

‘Oh, Peter! Yeah, he’d be a good choice,’ Tony said.

‘Right, someone go and find him then,’ Clint said.

Rhodey trotted out of the room and returned a few minutes later, herding a young boy in front of him. The boy looked around and then bowed frantically as he caught sight of Tony standing there.

‘Uhh, Your Highness!’ he squeaked.

‘Relax, Peter,’ Tony said. ‘I’ve got a small favour to ask.’

Peter nodded frantically. Tony and Clint proceeded to explain what they needed to Peter. He would be glamoured to look like Tony and would attend the ball in that guise. He wasn’t to speak more than necessary and would be provided with a guard and a woman to dance with. He was encouraged to show preference to her. Peter agreed to everything they asked and Clint waved his stick again. There was a cloud of purple smoke and a few sparks shot out. When it cleared, Tony was looking at his own face.

‘Ok, that’s weird,’ he said.

His double nodded. They sent Peter through to Tony’s bedroom to get ready. Once he was gone, Clint waved his wand again. Jets of purple light flew out and struck Pepper and Rhodey. Tony shouted something inarticulate as they began to twist and grow. When the light cleared, two people stood in front of him. Pepper had transformed into a gorgeous, tall, redhead who was wearing a stunning evening gown. Rhodey had changed into a stocky black man in a guard uniform. When Peter reappeared they were introduced to each other.

‘Now remember,’ Clint warned them, ‘This won’t last so you must get somewhere out of sight before midnight. It’s very important.’

The three of them disappeared out of the door to ensure preparations for the evening were complete and to give Tony a little bit of privacy. Once they’d left, Clint turned to him.

‘Visualise how you want to look when the spell is done. Make it as clear as possible, please,’ he said.

Tony imagined how he’d always wanted to look when he was feeling feminine. He imagined a softer, rounder jaw without his perpetual stubble. He imagined long, flowing hair with a slight curl at the end. He imagined a curvier body with a trim waist and a respectable pair of breasts. He held the picture tight in his mind and tried to ignore the purple flashes that he could see through his eyelids. His body tingled all over and then the light vanished. He opened his eyes and looked in the mirror. The first thing he noticed was the fact that he was naked. The second was that he looked exactly as he’d imagined. He ran his hands down his sides and then through his hair. The person in the mirror copied him. 

‘Thank you, thank you, thank you!’ he exclaimed, turning to Clint.

Clint threw a hand over his eyes.

‘You’re welcome, but let’s get you dressed,’ he said.

***

Tony waited until the ball was underway and the room was fairly busy before he snuck in through a side passage. He stood by the wall for a moment, watching the dancing couples and the people milling around the edge of the dance floor. Nobody looked twice at him. He caught sight of Peter dancing with Pepper in the middle of the floor and smiled. No doubt that would keep his parents happy. She was beautiful and looked respectably wealthy. He wandered over to get a drink.

He spent the night dancing and laughing and having the most fun he’d ever had at a ball. His parents were seen more than once making a fuss over Pepper, something that she put up with with good grace. Rhodey was never far from the couple. Tony occasionally spotted Steve sneaking in to refill the baskets of bread and sweet rolls that he’d spent the last few days preparing and baking. It was a shame they wouldn’t have an opportunity to dance together. 

Tony was dancing with a rather handsome lord when he looked up and noticed that the clock was about to strike midnight. He panicked. Bowing quickly over the lord’s hand, he made some sort of excuse about visiting the privy and made for the exit. He was halfway there before he realised the the guards wouldn’t let him through the entrance to the royal apartments. He changed direction and ducked behind one of the food tables and through into a passage that led to the kitchen. He could duck through into the passages back to his own room from there. He walked as quickly as he could in his heels. 

‘Hey, you can’t be down here!’

Tony groaned. Bad enough that he’d been caught, but to be caught by Steve? It was the worst thing he could imagine right now. He panicked and began to run. Unfortunately, he had to run towards Steve to get where he was going and Steve was more than fast enough to block the passage before Tony reached it. He skidded to a stop right in front of Steve just as the clock began to strike. He doubled over as his whole body began to itch.

‘Ma’am? Ma’am are you ill?’

He could hear Steve’s voice talking but he couldn’t manage to answer. The striking clock seemed to go on forever but eventually it ended and Tony regained control of his body. He stood up slowly, clutching the dress to his chest which was suddenly much flatter than it had been. 

‘Tony?’ Steve gasped.

He nodded and kept his head tucked down. He had no desire to see Steve’s face right now. A gentle hand touched his cheek and tilted his head up. Helpless to resist, Tony followed the suggestion. Steve was looking at him with wonder and a touch of confusion. He didn’t remove his hand.

‘I’m not going to ask about the magic but is that how you want to look all the time,’ Steve asked.

Tony shook his head.

‘Just sometimes,’ he whispered.

‘Is it still correct to call you Tony?’ Steve asked.

Tony nodded and then shivered. The kitchen passages were cold and his dress was only held up by the arm he had across his chest. Steve pulled him close and hugged him. 

‘Come on, let’s get you back to your room and into something warm,’ he said.

Tony followed him through the passages. As soon as they entered the royal apartments, Pepper and Rhodey streaked to his side asking question after question. Tony shushed them and allowed Steve to lead them all into his bedroom. Rhodey stood guard inside the door as Tony changed into his most comfortable sleep clothes and then herded him out the door when he hesitated.

Steve was hovering awkwardly by the fireplace with Pepper perched on his shoulder. He startled a little as Tony came into the room. Tony went to stand in front of him and then froze.

‘Say something, idiot,’ Pepper hissed.

‘I don’t know what to say!’ Tony protested.

‘Don’t worry, neither do I,’ Steve said.

Tony smiled and gestured to the sofa. They sat down facing each other and then got stuck again. Neither of them said anything for a long minute. The silence was beginning to get too much when they both tried to speak at once. They burst into laughter. Once they’d calmed down, Tony felt a little lighter. He gestured for Steve to speak first.

‘Why did you hide yourself from me? Surely you knew I wouldn’t judge you?’ he said, frowning a little..

‘Steve, I trust you more than I trust myself most days but if my parents, who’re supposed to love me through everything, can judge me for who I am then so could anyone. I never wanted to see you looking at me with disgust or distrust. It was… easier… less risky. To hide,’ Tony said.

‘Well that was stupid,’ Steve said. ‘I’ve never judged you for anything. Even when you kissed that idiot, Victor, I never said a word. I wouldn’t ever. Especially not about something as important as this. You’re still you.’

Tony’s eyes watered. Steve leaned forward and brushed a finger over his cheek.

‘Don’t cry. C’mon, it’s not worth crying over,’ he murmured.

When that just made Tony sob harder, Steve pulled him across the couch and into his lap. Tony curled up and rested his head against Steve’s shoulder. Steve pressed a kiss to the top of his head. Tony felt him stiffen up in panic and did the only thing he could think to do. He leaned up and kissed Steve square on the mouth.

***

True love doesn’t solve everything, but it does make things much easier to cope with. Once Steve knew both his secrets, Tony found that he could relax more. They began to see each other more often in private and their relationship grew naturally out of the long friendship they had shared. Tony’s parents died in a sailing accident when he was twenty-five, leaving the kingdom to him. His first edict was to banish his uncle and cousins from the castle forever. Steve oversaw their leaving personally. Tony ruled well and groomed Peter, the young page, to be his successor. He found that his time among the servants prepared him well for the burden of ruling and also opened his eyes to the struggles some of his subjects faced. He never married, but enjoyed a long life with his partner. He often dressed in deference to his feminine side when they were alone and, once or twice, he wished. Clint always answered and he would attend that evening’s ball, completely at ease in his body and dance until midnight with his lover and friend.

**Author's Note:**

> Next, and last, bingo fill will post on Friday!


End file.
